Candidates in school librarian preparation programs model, facilitate, and advocate for equitable access to and the ethical use of resources in a variety of formats. Candidates demonstrate their ability to develop, curate, organize, and manage a collection of resources to assert their commitment to the diverse needs and interests of the global society. Candidates make effective use of data and other forms of evidence to evaluate and inform decisions about library policies, resources, and services. (American Association of School (2019). ALA/AASL/CAEP school librarian preparation standards. ALA.)
Organization and Access
Throughout my experiences, I used feedback and paid attention to student needs, classroom connections, and the resources available when deciding what to include and how to organize it. These projects helped me better understand how to make resources accessible for all students, choose and organize materials in a meaningful way, and make decisions that truly support the needs of the school community. I plan to use the manual as a guide for best practices and to make sure the library stays aligned with state standards.
Access & Information Resources
In SLIB 630, I worked on creating a virtual space for both faculty and students. Using LibGuides, I built a platform that helps promote the library and gives teachers easy access to updated resources and information. I plan to keep using this space to support collaboration, share library policies, provide research links, and encourage teachers to get involved in professional development.
Evidence-Based Decision Making
This library manual was created as part of a group project focused on building policies to support how a school library runs. I completed the sections of the manual focused on defining the collection and outlining the weeding process. While working on this project, I grew in my understanding of how to use data and evidence to make informed decisions, especially when it comes to evaluating and managing a collection.
